Line clamp



April 12, 1938;.

Y J. l MEADE 2,113,852y `LINE CLAMP Filed GCt. 16', 1936 -nventot Ctttornegs V 15 connection,

` 25 while providing a grip which f' Patented Apr. 12,1938 l PATENT o1-FICE LINE CLAMP` John R. Meade, Milwaukee, Wis.l

Application October 16,

1 Claim.

l This invention relatesto` improvements in line i clamps.y i .l It is the object of the invention to provide a y `clamp specifically for use as an electrical con- 5 nector to be used by linemen` in making serviceable connections of a 'semi-permanent nature in wires for telephone and telegraphic communica- ,i tion and wires for electrical supply mains and the like. l()` I am awarek that many clamps oi a somewhat f similar nature have been proposed for various purposes. I am, therefore, only interested in the specific structure which makes my clamp simple, i inexpensive, serviceable to effect a good electrical and which `makes it easily operable Vwith a pair of pliers or other special tool but s `completely inoperable manually,.thus protecting Q i the connection from casual'tampering.

i More specincally, I propose to provide a clamp f 20 in which a pair of clamping lplates are splined tov a post to maintain their line grooves in align- Rment but are between a very heavy spring and a cam which is pivoted to the post and has an operating lever'so short as to make theclamp manually inoperable y enables the clamp to be actuated with the `greatest ease by a pair of pliers or special tool. y

In the drawing: Fig. lis a view in perspective showingy my line 30 g clamp as it appears inuse Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe clampshown in Fig. 1 as it appears with the cam released.

` Fig. 3 is u indicated at 3-7-3in Fig. 2.

y 35 `"Fig. 4 is a view taken in section on the line 4,-.-4 of Fig. 2. i

y Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the 'several views. The clamp comprises a pairiof clampingplates 4o orjaw members 5 and 6 which are identical, each i being. provided in one of its faceswith a pair of line receiving grooves 1 and 8. and each being provided at its center with an opening 9ofnon circular contour to receive the central bolt I upon which the parts are assembled.

The non-circularA contour of the central opening 9 and the cross section of bolt I0 are provided for the purpose of maintaining thev grooves 1 and H 8 of the respective clamping plates 5 and 6 in 50 perfect alignment at all times so that they will register with each other to receive the ends of the wires II and I2. In order to assure the desired functioning at a minimum of expense, I prefer ,that the bolt I0 and the openings 9 in the `"clamping plateshould be square in transverse section. f

The plates 5 and 6 are thus prevented from otherwise `floating upon the postk a view taken in section on the line 1936, serial No. 105,831

rotating with respect vto each other, but they are otherwise freelyiioated upon the bolt I0. kThe bolt has a head at I5 `against which seats a relatively heavy compression spring I6 which may .conveniently be made of square sectioned wire. 5

Pivoted to the end of the bolt remote from its I1 which is mounted on a pintle I8 extending transversely through the bolt. The cam comprises a pair of ears I9 and 20 integrally connected by the base portion 2l of a short oper- 10 ating lever 22. The `ears are eccentric with reference to the pin I8 but are flattened at 24 to be stable in the position shownl in Fig. 1. In the Fig.

1 position of the parts the spring IB has been subjected to heavy pressure by the manipulation of 16 the cam, and as a result the clamping plates 5 and 6, clamped upon thewires `II and I2 between the cam and spring I6, are maintained forciblyv in pressure engagement with the wires to establish an excellent electrical connection therebetween. 20 The amount of metal available for the transmission of electrical energybetween wires II and I2 n is relatively large in this arrangement and. the pressure contact kunder compression of spring I8 is intimate. k

The length of the lever 22 in proportion to the strength of spring I6 and in relation to the extent of the flattened surface 24, is such ras to make it diicult, if not impossible, to release the clamp manually. A pair oi pliers will, however, grasp the stop lever 22 to enable the clamp to be manipulated with ease either to or from the line engaging position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 1.

yA line clamp comprising the combination with a bolt of substantially of a pair of line clamping plates having square apertures engaged over said bolt, floated upon an intermediate portion of the bolt,y means carried by said bolt providing a spring seat, a heavy compression spring on said seat supporting one of said plates, a cam comprising a pair of ears spaced to engage integrally connected and provided with a stub operating lever, and a pintle eccentrically located with reference to said ears and passing transversely through said bolt, said ears having cam surfaces engaging the other of said plates and terminating in flattened surfaces `to provide a stable cam position of maximum spring compression, said stub lever being so shortened in relation to the extent of the iiattened surface and the strength of the spring as to inhibit manual release of the clamp while providing an anchorage for a plier or other tool by means of which said" clamp is readily operable.

JOHN B lVIEADE. 

